The Reverse Sweep

The criminally underrated Younis Khan & the criminal negligence of Ijaz Butt

The esteemed Indian cricket writer and fellow Liverpool fan Dileep Premachandran brought an interesting statistic to our attention on Twitter yesterday.

In illustrating Australia’s batting deficiencies, he highlighted that in an era dominated by batsmen only the discarded Simon Katich has a batting average of over 50 in Tests played since 1 January 2006.

The top ten (minimum qualification ten innings), which is dominated by batsmen from the sub-continent makes interesting reading (see full list here) and in reverse order from 10-3 comprises Misbah-ul-Haq, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacques Kallis, Thilan Samaraweera, Jonathan Trott and Mohammad Yousuf.

But it is the identity of the top two that is perhaps the most interesting.

On reflection it is not a huge surprise to see Kumar Sangakkara with a stellar average of 68 at the top of the pile such is the brilliance and consistency of his batting. Moreover, the fact that he had the added challenge of captaining Sri Lanka for most of the period makes his record all the more impressive. Bowlers shouldn’t rest too easy either as if Sangakkara’s return from his most recent series is anything to go by (a defiant 516 runs at 86 against a dominant Pakistan) he is getting better and better.

Nestling just behind Sangakkara in second place is Younis Khan. Yes, the same Younis Khan that was treated so shamefully by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s former idiot-in-chief Ijaz Butt. Younis averages 65 in the period despite being betrayed when captain by a clique led by Shoaib Malik, ostracised by Butt and left out of the side. The fact that he averages over 80 since his return shows up Butt for the utter fool he is – if any further proof was required on that count.

Misbah’s calm captaincy and even calmer presence at the crease is one big reason why England should be wary of their upcoming series with Pakistan. The criminally underrated Younis is another.

England’s post-Ashes celebrations in 2005 were brought crashing down to earth in Pakistan a few weeks later and the newly crowned number one Test side could suffer a similar fate in the UAE against the same opponents in the next couple of months unless they are at the top of their game.

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Younis Khan

Responsibility and Misbah-ul-Haq

The Ten Commandments of Ijaz Butt

Kumar Sangakkara's captivating story of cricket in Sri Lanka

Who should England pick to face Pakistan?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

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County Championship XI of the week #6

 

Another week, another round of County Championship matches and here is our XI of the week.

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) - A swiftly struck 144 to put his side in command against Durham. Will have been disappointed to have been foiled by the home team's rearguard on the final day.

Chris Nash (Sussex) - 93 and 57 against a strong Nottinghamshire attack featuring Broad and Swann. Got his runs quickly too to help turn a tricky victory target into a comfortable stroll. Needs to start converting good starts into three figures. So far this season he has seven half-centuries and no tons. 

Nick Compton (Somerset) - Did a convincing impression of his illustrious Grandfather to stroke a career best 254* in a marathon nine-hour innings at Chester-le-Street.

Mohammad Yousuf (Warwickshire) - Was a class apart on a treacherous Edgbaston pitch with 109 and 68 in a match where there were only three other scores over 50.

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire) - One of our 10 to watch this season celebrated his call-up to the Lions squad with a fifty in each innings as well as outbowling team-mate Graeme Swann in the reigning champions surprise defeat at Hove. 

Will Gidman (Gloucestershire) - Unbeaten and unbowed during his side's innings defeat to Northamptonshire, recording a maiden first-class ton (116*) and following that with an undefeated 81 in the second innings. 

Niall O'Brien (Northamptonshire) - Proved there is more than one decent cricketer in the family with 166 from number eight as Northamptonshire went top of Division 2. Pips Mark Wallace to wear the gloves in this week's XI.

Dominic Cork (Hampshire) - The old warhorse was close to heroic with match figures of 56.4-13-126-8 at Headingley, before showing the application his top order had lacked by staying at the crease for 75 minutes in the final session to help secure the draw. Not bad for a 40 year old.

James Anyon (Sussex) - Took eight wickets to send the previously unbeaten champions Nottinghamshire tumbling to defeat at Hove.

Monty Panesar (Sussex) - He may not have got the wickets the sheer quality of his bowling deserved, but his match return of 46-19-81-5 helped others like Anyon flourish at the other end. Almost back to his best. 

David Masters (Essex) - Eight wickets for the experienced and reliably consistent opening bowler as Essex drew with Derbyshire.

Shouts also to Michael de Venuto (86 and 112 for Durham against Somerset), Ravi Bopara (a second successive Championship ton - this time against Derbyshire),  Ben Stokes (a brilliant 120 to help Durham escape with a final day draw), Chris Metters (six for 65 on debut for Warwickshire), James Harris (five wickets and another fifty as Glamorgan trounced Kent) and Azeem Rafiq, whose bowling is far more impressive than his Tweets (six for 91 in 42 tight overs against Essex). 

Where next?

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals 

10 reasons why Ian Botham may have worn sunglasses at the premiere of 'From the Ashes'

County Championship XI of the week #5

County Championship XI of the week #4

County Championship XI of the week #3

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

A canned Hollywood film about cricket, fixing and a homeless team

Living near Cannes means you get to become on first name terms with a number of renowned film directors, as they are frequently in town.

At the weekend, I had a drink with one famous director who asked not to be named (let's just call him O. Rock), who told me a remarkable story about a film project he had worked on a couple of years ago. Basically, he had to pitch the idea to a sinister Hollywood studio boss he hadn't met before. The guy had a pretty fearsome reputation, so Rock decided to tape the meeting. He played me the recording...

Studio Boss (SB): So tell me about the film.

O. Rock (OR): Well it's about a cricket team full of a variety of miscreant characters who mostly don't like each other. They can't play matches at home because of terrorists.

SB: Good, I like the terrorist angle. Very topical.

OR: The team is run by a Tyrannical Despot who continually interferes. He fires Captains at will like Hitler used to do with his Generals.

SB: Good, good.Terrorism, a mad autocratic leader. Sounds promising to me.

OR: That's not all. As I said the team has a number of diverse characters and factions. There is a Mad Uncle, who is prone to doing Michael Jackson moonwalks on the pitch and eating cricket balls in the middle of matches. Then there is the Wise Old Grandad - he looks a bit like Gandalf the Grey and keeps retiring and then making comebacks.

SB: Kind of a Frank Sinatra figure?

OR: Exactly. There's also another older player, Sensitive Captain, who was actually quite successful at leading the side before he was the victim of a coup instigated by the team's Machiavellian Prince. He also falls out in a big way with Tyrannical Despot.

SB: Wow conspiracy and intrigue too. I suppose the Machiavellian Prince becomes captain in the end? 

OR: Well, he has a turn near the start before Sensitive Captain, but he turns out to be an even worse captain then he is a player. He also falls out in a big way with Wise Old Grandad and ends up marrying someone on the phone before divorcing her and marrying a famous tennis player. Eventually he is dropped for being too bad even for this team.

SB: Gee a lot happens to him. He sounds like a particularly unsavoury chap. Who are the other main characters?

OR: There's a couple of brothers. One is Butter Fingers - he is the worst wicketkeeper in cricket history and couldn't even catch a cold. The other is Little Slogger, so named because he tries to hit every ball for six. He also pretends he is a teenager and wears green lipstick.

SB: My God, it sounds like the Addams Family.

OR: Then there is Mr Dignity, he becomes captain towards the end and impresses everyone with the way he speaks and manages the team. But the audience is left wondering if he has a nasty secret, which he may or may not share with Rehab Boy, a brilliant bowler who is banned for drug taking but comes back and becomes one of the best bowlers in the world. Again the audience is left wondering if he has retunred to his fomer waywardness. The other character is The Kid. The Kid is an 18 year old wunderkind from an impoverished background, who is regarded as the best bowler of his age in cricket history. He has film star looks and is the darling of the nation.

SB: Kind of a rags to riches tale?

OR: Exactly, but the audience is left wondering whether he, Rehab Boy and Mr Dignity have got into bed with bookmakers and deliberately bowled no-balls in exchange for money.  

SB: A lot happens in this film. Is it realistic, is the question I am asking myself? Tell me about the plot.

OR: Well the film follows the Homeless Team around the world for a period of around 18 months. The fact that the captain keeps being changed adds to the state of flux and continuous chaos surrounding the team. First of all, they win the World T20, but then Machiavellian Prince leads a revolt against Sensitive Captain and he resigns soon after.

SB: That sounds a bit stupid.

OR: Quite. Then Wise Old Grandad takes over. Rehab Boy and Little Slogger both do well in New Zealand and the team draw the series. Then just as the audience thinks that the team is on the up. Bang. They go to Australia and it all falls apart. They lose every match including one where Butter Fingers drops even more catches than usual and Wise Old Grandad proves to be a clueless captain. Then Tyrannical Despot goes insane like Hitler in Downfall and bans everyone. The players all come out to the press and say they hate each other. It's absolute chaos.

SB: Surely that wouldn't all happen. Where do you go from here?

OR: Then they appoint Mad Uncle as captain. You just know that it will end in tears but at first things improve. They get to the semi-final of the World T20 but snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Afterwards Tyrannical Despot un-bans all the players he had banned but still won't pick Sensitive Captain.

SB: I suppose appointing Mad Uncle is a bit of a case of the blind leading the blind?

OR: Yes. Of course it does eventually end up in tears on the tour of England, when Mad Uncle resigns after losing his first test in charge against Australia.

SB: No that wouldn't happen. Who ever heard of neutral test matches? Too far-fetched.

OR: Bear with me. Then Mr Dignity becomes captain and Rehab Boy and The Kid destroy Australia in the next match. The team do their best to throw away the advantage but actually manage to win.

SB: Oh great. A happy ending.

OR: It's not over yet. Then they play England, but because Tyrannical Despot won't pick Wise Old Grandad and Sensitive Captain, the batting is too frail even though The Kid and Rehab Boy keep taking English wickets. But they do manage to win one match when Wise Old Grandad comes to the rescue on his charger.

SB: Is that all?

OR: Not yet. Just as people start thinking the team have a promising future, Mr Dignity, Rehab Boy and The Kid fall victim to a tabloid sting, which alleges they are taking money to bowl no-balls. Remember I mentioned that earlier?

SB: Cheating and fixing as well? My God, what happens in the end?

OR: We're still finalising that. Any suggestions?

SB: I'll have to ask my friends in the ICC (laughing). I'm a bit worried all this is a bit too far-fetched. Surely one team couldn't go through all this in only 18 months?

That was it. After the recording stopped, I asked O Rock what happened next. he said it was strange because the meeting ended abruptly when Studio Boss received a phone call and he never heard from him again. Indeed he told me that it was rumoured that Studio Boss had left the business - no one had seen or heard from him since. The project was canned.

Of course, in the light of recent events we discussed how remarkably similar all this was to what is happening with the Pakistan cricket team today. I asked O Rock when the meeting was and the name of the Studio Boss.

And that was the funny thing. O Rock told me that the meeting was in 2008. And the name of the studio boss was Ijaz Butt, one month before he took up his position as Chairman of the PCB...

England vs Pakistan: 4th test - Pakistan marks out of ten

When England were 102 for seven just after lunch on Friday, the Pakistan team were in ecstasy as they contemplated completing their fightback to draw the series with England.

But ecstasy turned to agony as first Jonathan Trott's and Stuart Broad's partnership and then a spineless batting display condemned Pakistan to their biggest ever test defeat. Then came the ignominy of the spot-fixing scandal, which could end the careers of a number of their side if the allegations are proven.

So, it may seem churlish and unimportant now to cast our marks out of ten for the Pakistan XI who played at Lord's, but we will do so because Trott's and Broad's achievements deserve to be remembered.

Imran Farhat - 2: If Farhat is a test match opener than I am the King of England. Sorry Imran, but an ability to cope with the new ball is kind of important if you want to open the batting. Two shocking dismissals especially the wild heave-ho in the second innings.

Yasir Hameed - 2: Actually made Farhat look half-decent. His charge down the wicket to Broad after the follow-on was irresponsibility personified. Now, we wonder if there was something more sinister involved?

Salman Butt - 5: At least the captain showed some fight with the bat even if he couldn't contend with Swann's extravagant spin. If the allegations about Butt's involvement in the spot-fixing scandal are true it will be dreadfully sad as his dignity and ability as captain seemed just what Pakistan cricket needed.

 

Mohammad Yousuf - 3: Will probably be wishing now that he had stayed retired. Undone by a wonderful yorker by Broad in the first innings and fell to a sucker punch in the second. Here, unlike at the Oval, Yousuf looked like a man who hadn't picked up a bat in seven months.

Azhar Ali - 5: Didn't kick on from his wonderful knock at the Oval, but with all the on and off-field turmoil going on around him, is it any wonder the inexperienced Azhar looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights?

Umar Akmal - 6: Undone by the Lord's sightscreen and Finn's height in the first innings, but enjoyed himself second time around when the pressure was off. Showed that butter fingers run in the family with a truly awful drop to reprieve Cook.

Kamran Akmal - 5: Although he kept wicket well enough for the second successive match (surely a record for the older Akmal?), his batting has truly fallen apart. Should be replaced by Zulqarnain for the tests against South Africa even if the allegations against him prove unfounded.

Mohammad Aamer - 9: Wonderful bowling confirmed that Aamer is perhaps the most talented bowler of his age in the history of cricket. He's certainly the best 18 year old we've seen and his control and mastery of conventional and reverse swing is truly remarkable. One desperately hopes that the allegations against him are not true - otherwise his story will have a sad and tragic end.

Wahab Riaz - 3: Was impotent, expensive and ineffectual with the ball and disappointing with the bat. May well prove to be a one test wonder.

Saeed Ajmal - 4: With Trott and Broad playing him so well, Ajmal was ineffective for the first time in the series. The extravagant spin and bounce found by Swann makes Ajmal's performance all the more disappointing.

Mohammad Asif - 6: Found a beautiful nip-backer to snare Strauss but it was all downhill from there as he was nullified by Trott's clever tactics. It is now alleged that Asif's chequered career has taken yet another wrong turn.

The Boundary View: Records fall as Pakistan slump again, Lord's, Day Three

Dedication is what you need...

...if you want to be a record breaker. Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad showed plenty of this attribute as the records tumbled. Not only was their eighth wicket partnership of 332 the biggest in test history (beating the 313 of Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq), but it was the seventh highest an English pair has ever recorded in test cricket. Broad's 169 was the second highest by a number nine in test history, but it was seven runs higher than his father's best test score - more bragging rights for Junior.   

Trott misses out on exclusive club

Trott narrowly failed to become the first batsman in test history to record two double centuries at Lord's. He also missed out on joining an exclusive club of England batsmen who have hit more than one test double hundred. There have only been seven - Hammond (7 scores of 200+), Hutton (4), Gooch (2), Compton (2), Amiss (2), Paynter (2) and Gower (2). That is quite some club. At least Trott can console himself with becoming the highest run-getter in tests in 2010. He now has 880 - 13 ahead of a certain Sachin Tendulkar.

Spirits broken as collapse bug returns

The partnership between Trott and Broad broke more records than a clumsy DJ, but it also seems to have broken Pakistan's spirit. Despite having had more downs in this series than a temazepam addict, Pakistan have impressed by maintaining their spirit and bouncing back on more than one occasion from a series of lows. But this was different, 11 wickets fell for only 69 runs after tea and for the first time this summer, Pakistan looked like a sad rabble. Even a batting master like Mohammad Yousuf was dismissed twice. Don't bet on the match going past lunchtime today.

Swann soars again

As badly as Pakistan batted, the England bowling unit was magnificent. The seamers all bowled well with Steven Finn rediscovering the form he lost at The Oval. Broad's yorker to get Yousuf in the first innings was an absolute beauty, as was Finn's to dismiss Umar Akmal. But the undoubted star again was Graeme Swann, who gave a wonderful exhibition of off-spin bowling. Salman Butt was the only Pakistan batsman who looked up for the fight, but Swann teased and tormented him and was rewarded with his wicket twice -including in the first innings where an unplayable delivery gripped, turned and took Butt's off stump. Simply brilliant.

Player of the day

If Trott shaded it from Broad on Friday, then yesterday was Broad's day. He played some sumptuous shots in the morning as he went past his father's best test score and then he took three wickets for nineteen runs during Pakistan's capitulation. Just don't call him an all-rounder.

Zero of the day

It's difficult to pick just one out of a spineless Pakistan batting unit, but we'll plump for Imran Farhat. It would be difficult to find a worse current test match opener especially as Farhat seems to have a real problem playing the new ball - surely a pre-requisite for an opener. His two dismissals were dreadful especially the second where he played a horrible shot to be caught at mid-on.

Hope of the day

That the spot fixing allegations involving the Pakistan team, which broke soon after the close of play, are the typical load of tripe that normally follows a poor Pakistan performance. The implications otherwise do not bear thinking about.

The Thirteen Commandments of Ijaz Butt

Buoyed by the success of his Pakistan side in winning the 3rd test at The Oval last week, we understand from a source within the Pakistan Cricket Board that Chairman Ijaz Butt is about to exclusively reveal the 13 commandments by which he carries out his role as the head of Pakistan cricket.

We understand from the source that these are Butt's 13 commandments:

1. Although there will be many captains, there is only one Chairman (or Dear Leader, which is the term I prefer).
2. When it comes to captains, coaches and selectors, remember three key mantras: undermine, undermine and undermine.
3. When the Pakistan team is on tour, remember three key mantras: interfere, interfere and interfere
4. When the team loses, remember it is everyone else's fault not yours: players, captain, coach and selectors. This calls for interference, changes, sackings, bans and fines.
5. When the team wins, remember it is all down to Ijaz Butt and no one else. If anyone dares to disagree, please see remedies stated in commandment 4 above.
6. When the team wins, make sure you are in the team photo that will appear online and in newspapers worldwide. Even better if you can stand menacingly at the back in a pair of dark glasses, with dagger drawn waiting to stab an unsuspecting player, captain or coach in the back. This is a picture of me with the team after we beat Australia at Headingley. I am fourth from left at the back with the sunglasses and clenched fist looking as inauspicious as possible.
7. Agreeing to stage a home test series in a country where your best bowler is banned from entering is an entirely rational decision. Who needs Mohammad Asif anyway?
8. Proclaiming that a captain is going to be replaced in the middle of a tour (as I did with Mohammad Yousuf in Australia) is a genius move. We may have lost the three ODIs that followed my pronouncement but we nearly won the Twenty 20 after that. 
9. Why ban and alienate one world-class batsman, if you can ban and alienate two?
10. Mohammad Yousuf is a "bad influence" and "should not be part of (the) national team in any format" "great player".
11. If in doubt blame Shoaib Akhtar Mohammad Yousuf Younis Khan.
12. If you have a player that pirouettes on a cricket pitch in the midst of a security scare, bites cricket balls, shows no responsibility whatsoever and has actually been retired from test cricket for four years, make him captain of the test side. Such a move is pure genius and cannot fail.
13. If all else fails, find someone with the same name as you and make them captain. Isn't young Salman doing well? He was always my first choice as skipper, don't you know?

Please note that our source may be wrong and that Ijaz Butt may or may not have said or written the things this article said he did. Just in case

England vs Pakistan: 3rd test - Pakistan marks out of ten

Spirit in the Pakistan camp is obviously high given that they were able to put heavy defeats at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston behind them to bounce back with avengeance at the Oval. Pakistan sides of recent vintage would have descended into chaos and recrimination after two such crushing defeats, so captain Salman Butt and coach Waqar Younis should take a lot of credit for avoiding this.

Pakistan will now believe that they can square the series at Lord's and have a number of factors in their favour. Mohammad Yousuf has added calmness and solidity to the batting and his influence seems to have imbued his batting colleagues with a bit more steel. Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif continue to impress and England still haven't been able to pick Saeed Ajmal. Moreover their fielding, which was so poor in the first two tests, was a revelation at the Oval.

So, how did the Pakistan team fare on the Reverse Sweep marks out of ten scale?  

Imran Farhat - 7: Transformed from the strokeless Farhat of Edgbaston into a Tamim Iqbal clone when getting the Pakistan run chase off to a flier. Given that he also got runs in the Headingley run chase against Australia it would seem that Farhat likes the pressure cooker.

Yasir Hameed - 6: Came in for his first test of the summer and provided a much needed positive approach at the top of the order to give Pakistan's 1st innings a lightning start riding his luck in the process. Fortune ran out in the second innings with a first ball duck.

Salman Butt - 8: Is really impressing as captain both on and off the field and unlike his opposite number, everything went right for Butt here. He even managed to finally get some runs as he led from the front during the run chase. This was just reward for his dignity and bravery in dropping down to three. Captaincy record now stands at two wins and two losses - who'd have thought that when he took over amidst the chaos of Afridi's resignation?

Mohammad Yousuf - 9: A class act. Not only showed the quality that Pakistan's batting has been missing all summer, but spread calmness and confidence throughout his batting colleagues. Batted from memory at the start of his first knock, but once he had played himself in, Yousuf demonstrated exactly what he is a world class batsmen. How could Pakistan have ever left out a batsman this good? Shame on you, Ijaz Butt.

Azhar Ali - 8: Took his cue from Yousuf and visibly grew in confidence during his brilliant 92 not out in the first innings. Clearly has a lot of talent and a long test career beckons. Let's just overlook his ridiculous run out that sparked all the panic in the second innings.

Umar Akmal - 6: Immensely talented, but first innings dismissal raised questions as to how much there is between the ears. His crazy run out just three balls before the new ball cost Pakistan a big first innings lead and could have lost them the game. Redeemed himself in the second innings by showing uncharacteristic patience when the pressure was at its most intense and was rewarded by hitting the winning runs.

Kamran Akmal - 7: Lucky to play after Zulqarnain's unfortunate injury, but then surprised by catching everything that came his way. His batting in English conditions though clearly needs a rethink and his dismissal in the second innings offering no shot to Swann was particularly poor. In this form, he is a place too high at seven.

Mohammad Aamer - 9: Bounced back from a quiet time in the first innings to deliver a matchwinning Akramesque spell in the second. Bowled fast, full and gained wicked late movement. Simply brilliant, but is he really only 18? Was at the crease when the winning runs were hit for the second successive run chase.

Saeed Ajmal - 8: England's top order still can't pick him, which helped Ajmal during his long spell in England's second innings. Bowled with guile, intelligence and skill as evidenced by his fabulous over to Pietersen that sparked England's collapse. Danish Kaneria may as well set up home permanently in Essex as Ajmal won't be going anywhere for some time.

Wahab Riaz - 8: Came in for Gul to some disquiet from Pakistani followers, but had a dream first day in test cricket with a well deserved five for. The icing on the cake was his patient 27 as nightwatchman, which frustrated England no end.

Mohammad Asif - 8: Was his usual consistent self and even had the generosity to help Cook to his century by his wild shy at the stumps. How he isn't included in the ICC Cricketer of the Year longlist defies belief.

The Boundary View: Pakistan stumble to victory, The Oval, Day Four

Fortune favours the brave

Imran Farhat was rendered virtually strokeless during the Edgbaston test, even managing a 24 ball duck in the first innings. But yesterday he did a passable impersonation of Tamim Iqbal as he launched Pakistan's run chase with a flurry of boundaries. He had some luck, but on this occasion it was definitely a case of fortune favouring the brave.

On the other hand...

Andrew Strauss has never been the most attacking of captains, but his field settings at the start of Pakistan's run chase were negative even by his standards. Given Pakistan's batting weaknesses during the series and their propensity for failing to chase small targets, were boundary saving sweepers needed on both sides of the wicket? The contrast with Australia's attacking approach at Headingley when Pakistan were chasing a similarly small target was stark.

Panic stations

As at Headingley, Pakistan stumbled with the finish line in sight. At lunch it seemed that Pakistan would stroll to victory but the ridiculous run out of Azhar Ali seemingly set the dressing room into a panic. The previously immovable Mohammad Yousuf was undone by a pearler from Anderson and that left the two Akmal brothers at the crease. No wonder Salman Butt suddenly looked worried from the sidelines. Sure enough, Kamran Akmal was leg before offering no shot to Swann. But for once Umar Akmal used his head and after a period of consecutive maidens with 16 runs required led his side over the finishing line in unison with Mohammad Aamer, who had also been at the crease when the winning runs were hit at Headingley.

Player of the day

Salman Butt has impressed in his short tenure as skipper. Pakistan sides of recent vintage would have descended into discontent and recrimination after the heavy defeats of Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, but this one has kept its spirit. Butt should take a lot of credit for that and the way he has handled himself in front of the press has been impressive. So it was nice to see him finally getting some runs yesterday. His captaincy record now stands at two wins and two losses. Would anyone have predicted that on the eve of the Headingley test when he took the reins amidst the chaos of Shahid Afridi's resignation?

Zero of the day

The England batsmen. The collapse may have happened the day before, but the seal was put on it by Stuart Broad's dismissal yesterday in the first over of the day. This meant that England had lost their last seven wickets for 28 in 15 overs. This wasn't the first time in this series that England have subsided either. They lost their last six wickets for 17 at Trent Bridge and their last seven for 46 at Edgbaston. When you chuck in that they also lost their  top six for 98 in the second innings at Trent Bridge, and their top seven for 94 in the first innings here, then there must be a lot of concern in the England dressing room. A few weeks ago we looked at Australia's all too frequent batting collapses, but it would seem that England are just as badly afflicted. At this rate it could be a low-scoring Ashes contest in the winter.

What will happen at Lord's?

Pakistan have a habit of going on unstoppable winning runs (witness the 1992 World Cup), so they will be confident of winning at Lord's and earning a share of the spoils in the series. Yousuf has added solidity and his influence seems to have imbued his batting colleagues with a bit more steel. Aamer and Mohammad Asif continue to impress and England still haven't been able to pick Saeed Ajmal. England on the other hand look like they could do with freshening their line-up, although now that Alastair Cook is in the runs again it is difficult to see where changes could be made to the batting line-up. However, it would be good to see how Ajmal Shahzad would fare as a replacement for Broad.

The Boundary View: England vs Pakistan, The Oval, Day Two

Pakistan were on top for a second successive day at The Oval as they battled to gain a useful first innings lead of 75 before reducing England to 6/1 at the close with Andrew Strauss already back in the hutch.

Form is temporary, class is permanent

Or so the old adage goes. Mohammad Yousuf looked like a man batting from memory when he first came to the crease yesterday - hardly surprising when you consider he has hardly picked up a bat in anger for seven months. But he dug in and rode his luck before lunch whilst still managing to exude enough calmness to inspire nightwatchman Wahab Riaz to almost survive the morning session. Then in partnership with Azhar Ali, the real Yousuf emerged in the afternoon session as he gave a batting masterclass and coaxed Azhar to exhibit his obvious talent in a telling fifth wicket partnership. A hundred looked there for the taking until Graeme Swann induced an ill-timed drive when Yousuf had made 56.

Azhar takes his cue from the old master

Azhar looked a promising batsman when compiling a patient and high-quality fifty during Pakistan's harum scarum run chase against Australia at Headingley in only his second test match. He confirmed this view yesterday at The Oval, showing a lot of heart during his unbeaten 92 and clearly gaining inspiration and confidence from the presence and advice of Yousuf. Azhar deserved a maiden test hundred but if he keeps batting like this, one can only be just around the corner.

Crazy runnings

A good day at the office for Pakistan could have been even better but for another brainstorm from Umar Akmal. His sixth wicket partnership with Azhar had England on the rack, and Akmal was starting to look like the immensely talented batsman we had seen in New Zealand and Australia. So why did he set off for that crazy single just three balls before the new ball was due? Akmal's error probably cost his side a big first innings lead and one wonders how much there is between the ears. Injudicious shot selection, a clear misunderstanding of when and when not to refer decisions and now madcap running. The return of Yousuf and the serenity and advice he can provide to the younger Akmal could yet see his talent flourish. Let's hope so, as the man himself is squandering his abilities at the moment.

Swann makes the ICC eat humble pie

Once again England were indebted to Graeme Swann for keeping them in contention in a test match. It only seems like yesterday that Swann made his bow in India, but the wicket of Yousuf gave him his 100th victim in only 23 tests - the same as Shane Warne. His continued quality showed up the ICC Cricketer of the Year longlist for the farce that it is. How Swann and Mohammad Asif (the leading wicket taker in tests during the qualification period) can be left out in favour of a fading Ricky Ponting, a misfiring Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris is beyond belief.

Player of the day

On any other day it would have been Azhar, but we opt for the returning Yousuf. Not only did he play himself back into form before demonstrating his immense class, but he guided and instructed Azhar to do the same. Pakistan's fragile batting line-up clearly needs Yousuf - they look a different side with him in the XI.

Zero of the day

It has to be Strauss, who had a dismal last hour. First he dropped a straightforward chance off Steve Finn to reprieve Asif when he had made only four and thus enabled the last wicket pair to stretch Pakistan's lead to a potentially crucial 75. Then he edged a ball from Mohammad Aamer that he didn't need to play at to first slip and extend his run of test matches without a hundred to 12.

What will happen on day three?

It isn't an exaggeration to state that it is a big day for Alastair Cook, who could be playing for his place. If Pakistan can get Cook and nightwatchman James Anderson early then an England defeat could be on the cards. Don't discount a typical back to the wall performance from Paul Collingwood though and Kevin Pietersen is due a big one. The key man for Pakistan could be Asif.

The Boundary View: England vs Pakistan, The Oval, Day One

England were given a taste of their own medicine as Pakistan's seamers bowled them out cheaply on the first day at The Oval. Here are our main talking points of the day:

A good toss to lose...

It seemed a straightforward decision for Andrew Strauss when he won the toss as players and pundits alike thought the pitch looked like a typical Oval belter. The overcast conditions certainly helped the bowlers, but it will be interesting to see how Pakistan fare on day two. Only then we will know how well Pakistan bowled or how badly England batted especially in the morning session. At this point, it doesn't look like a 233 wicket though.

The latest gem off the production line

Pakistan keep churning out excellent fast bowlers. Debutant Wahab Riaz was hostile, accurate and fast (touching 90 mph on several occasions) and had a dream first day in test cricket bagging a five for and snaring batsmen of the quality of Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan and best of all Kevin Pietersen. If only Pakistan could unearth some young batsmen of the calibre of Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan. Then the world would fear Pakistan.

Catches win matches...

It may be an old cliche but it is certainly a true one. Kamran Akmal's travails at Trent Bridge handed England the initiative and eventually the match. But here Pakistan were sharp in the field and held their catches. Even Akmal managed to hold on to four catches. Finally, Pakistan's brilliant bowlers got the fielding they deserved.

...but there was a reminder of recent horror shows

It would seem that the returning Mohammad Yousuf wasn't recalled for his fielding. David Lloyd had just called him the weak link as far as Pakistan's fielding goes, which is a pretty dubious honour to have, when Yousuf dropped an absolute dolly to reprieve Matt Prior. For once, Pakistan didn't pay the price as Saeed Ajmal snared Steve Finn next ball to wrap up the innings and spare Yousuf's blushes.

The changing man

Matt Prior looked like a man under pressure earlier in the summer when Craig Kieswetter was breathing down his neck. But a loss of form for his adversary in the Nat West series against Australia and a lot of runs for Sussex seems to have got Prior back into the groove. We've been critical in the past that Prior never seemed to score runs when England really needed them. But today was the second time in the series that Prior has stepped up to the plate when England were in trouble. Craig who?

Ducks are like London buses...

...for James Anderson, or so it would seem. After successfully negotiating 54 test innings before bagging his first test duck at The Oval last summer, Anderson has now made another four in his last ten innings. Expect some Tweets from Graeme Swann on that one.

Player of the day

It has to be Wahab Riaz. Five wickets on your first day in test cricket is impressive stuff and he even managed to add some cream on top when he survived the last three balls of the day as nightwatchman. Easy, this test cricket lark eh Wahab?

Zero of the day

None of the England top order covered themselves in glory, but it has to be the hapless Alastair Cook who wins the booby prize. That is just 106 runs in eight test innings this summer for the vice-captain. He could be batting for his place in the second innings. With Ian Bell to come back into the side, Cook looks the most vulnerable. He also looks like he could do with a rest to work on his technical deficiencies and regain some confidence. If the selectors go down this route, one of Michael Carberry, Ravi Bopara or James Hildreth would come in at Lord's.

What will happen on day two?

England need a couple of early wickets and if overhead conditions are the same as they were on day one, expect this to happen especially with a nightwatchman at the crease. Can Stuart Broad repeat his day two heroics at the same ground last summer? The key man could well be Yousuf, who will be keen to ram another couple of helpings of humble pie down the throat of PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt.

England vs Pakistan: 2nd test - Pakistan marks out of ten

Another defeat for Pakistan looked inevitable right from Salman Butt's foolhardy call at the toss. Butt's move was intended to  be a positive one, but the negative strokeless approach of Pakistan's batsmen was always likely to be ill-advised and so it proved as they fell to an embarrassing 72 all out. Pakistan could have collapsed into disarray after that, but they didn't and Butt must take some credit for that. His side fought back on both the second and third days to first restrict England to 251 after at one time being 177 for two. Then  the lower order resisted on the third day to avert an innings defeat and at least set England a target. The replacements for Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneira, Zulqarnain Haider and Saeed Ajmal, both did well. However, there are massive problems to correct before the Oval with the top six batsmen and the abysmal fielding.

Here is how the Pakistan players rated on the Reverse Sweep report card:

Imran Farhat - 5 Was far too negative in the first innings when making a 24 ball duck, but was starting to look good in the second after a lot of hard graft, before his off-stump was removed by a jaffa from Swann. 

Salman Butt - 3 Brave but ill-advised call at the toss had the wheels falling off the Pakistan bus from the start. And it didn't get any better for the captain with two more single figure scores. Looks like he couldn't buy a run at present.

Azhar Ali - 4 Full marks for perspiration but not many for inspiration. Faced a tortuous 32 balls for his duck in the first innings and took a further 15 balls to get his first run in the second. Will be annoyed that he eventually undid his patient work in his second knock to be bowled through the gate by Swann attempting a booming drive.

Shoaib Malik - 3 Shifted up to four to provide some experience and solidity and was promptly out cheaply in both innings. Throughout his career there have been questions raised about Malik's technique at test level and he did nothing to contradict the doubters at Edgbaston. Maybe he was too busy watching his back with Mohammad Yousuf returning to the scene?

Umar Akmal - 4 Clearly has bags of talent, but is low on confidence and suffering from habitual poor shot selection. Looks like he could do with a batting masterclass from the newly arrived Mohammad Yousuf.

Umar Amin - 5 Looked better at six and got starts in both innings. Drives well, but perhaps this tour has come a bit early for this youngster? Struck again with his golden arm, as Trott joined North and Watson as Amin's test victims.

Zulqarnain Haider - 8 Kept tidily in the first innings with the only blemish being spilling an inside edge from Pietersen, but missed a couple of chances off Ajmal's bowling in the second. Nearly bagged a king pair but then showed bundles of character and quality to lead a lower order fightback. All in all, an extremely promising debut. Kamran who?

Mohammad Aamer - 7 Bowled and batted with a lot of heart without getting the wickets he deserved. Hung around for 117 balls for a resilient 16 in the second innings and looks to have the technique to develop into a good number seven. No wonder there are so many comparisons with Wasim Akram.

Umar Gul - 5 Will be devastated that his hamstring will prevent him playing on the expected reverse swing friendly pitches at The Oval and Lord's. Pakistan will miss his quality and experience.

Saeed Ajmal - 8 Where has he been? Bowled with guile and excellent variations in pace and flight to bag a five for as a number of England batsmen failed to pick him. Then scored a spirited first test fifty despite being battered and bruised by the England quicks. Has consigned Danish Kaneira to spending the rest of the summer at Essex. Lucky Danish.

Mohammad Asif - 7 Was his usual reliable self with the ball without grabbing the number of wickets he deserved. Must wish that he played in a team with better batsmen and fielders who can actually catch the ball.

The never-ending soap opera of Pakistan cricket

So, Mohammad Yousuf rides into town on his trusty white steed to save the Pakistan cricket team from further ignominy after the heavy defeat at Trent Bridge. Captain Salman Butt and Coach Waqar Younis were apparently not consulted. It seems a strange decision on a number of counts.

Firstly, Yousuf has not played any serious cricket since March and was supposedly 'retired' from international cricket. Two, if an experienced player was sent for, would it not have made more sense that it was Younis Khan, who at least has played county cricket in the last month or so? Three, why not give the youngsters a go - if you pick 'em, stick with 'em. 

Finally, the introduction of Yousuf into the dressing room could be akin to tossing a grenade into an army barracks. You'd certainly want to be the fly on the wall when Yousuf and Shoaib Malik are reacquainted for the first time. Poor old Salman Butt.

Looking back over the last 18 months, it has certainly been a helluva ride for Pakistan cricket. Resignations, retirements, conspiracies, defeats snatched from the jaws of victory, suspensions, high-class fast bowling, batting collapses and comical wicketkeeping have all featured. The highlights include:

1. March 2009: The terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, which meant that Pakistan can not play at home for the foreseeable future.
2. June 2009: Pakistan winning the World T20 in England with Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi to the fore. Captain Younis Khan seems set for a long reign.
3. July 2009: A topsy-turvy test series with Sri Lanka is lost 2-0 after Pakistan lose the first test when only chasing 168 for victory and then the second after being bowled out for 90 in the first innings, and collapsing in their second innings from 285 for one to 320 all out. They also lose the one day series 3-2. This is where the first conspiracies against Younis' captaincy were said to have occurred with Shoaib 'Machiavelli' Malik the rebel leader.
4. September 2009: Pakistan make the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in South Africa before losing a game they should have won to New Zealand.
5. November 2009: The action then moves to Dubai, where a one day series is lost 2-1 to New Zealand, before Pakistan beat the same opposition 2-0 in the Twenty 20's that follow.
6. November 2009: Younis quits the captaincy and takes a break from international cricket due to the machinations of Malik and his band of brothers. Yousuf takes over despite Malik manoeuvring behind the scenes himself for the captaincy.
7. December 2009: Despite Umar Akmal announcing himself as a real talent on debut, Pakistan lose a cracking test to New Zealand in Dunedin. Mohammad Asif inspires a win in the next test at Wellington, before rain saves Pakistan at Napier. A 1-1 series result is pretty good considering.
8. December 2009 - February 2010: The Pakistan cricket team becomes more akin to a squadron of kamikaze pilots as they lose every international on the tour of Australia. The ramifications of the lost test at Sydney still linger to this day.
9. March 2010: In their infinite wisdom, the PCB decide after an enquiry into the Australian tour to hand out indefinite bans to Yousuf and Younis, one year suspensions to Malik and Rana Naved and fines to Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers. Yousuf announces his immediate 'retirement' from international cricket as a result.
10. April / May 2010: A weakened Pakistan side manages to get out of its group at the World T20 in the Caribbean before Michael Hussey breaks their hearts again in another semi-final where Pakistan snatch defeat from the jaws of victory..
11. June 2010: The bans on Younis and Malik are rescinded on appeal, with Afridi (who hasn't played a test for four years) handed the reins in all forms for the forthcoming Asia Cup and tour of England. Despite being reprieved, Younis is bizarrely left out of all the squads. Yousuf talks of coming back if Pakistan needs him.
12. June 2010: Pakistan perform well at the Asia Cup but bow out after losing tight matches to India and Sri Lanka. Afridi makes hundreds against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with spirit and unity seemingly returning to the Pakistan team.
13. July 2010: After beating Australia in two Twenty 20 matches, Pakistan lose the test and their captain at Lord's after Afridi amazingly retires from test cricket after just one game as captain. Salman Butt is handed the poisoned chalice. Pakistan then win a brilliant test at Headingley, after bowling the Aussies out for 88 to square the series, although they do their best to muck up the run chase.
14. August 2010: After suffering a heavy defeat to England at Trent Bridge, with Kamran Akmal having a nightmare behind the stumps, Yousuf is called up to strengthen the batting line-up whilst Danish Kaneira is banished to Essex and county cricket . Whether Yousuf arrives fit enough and in time (and with the requisite visa in hand) for the second test is anyone's guess. But you just can't take your eyes of this particular soap opera. What will happen next?

England vs Pakistan: 1st test - Pakistan marks out of ten

After the euphoria of the Headingley win over Australia, Pakistan came crashing down to earth with a bump at Trent Bridge. The margin of victory didn't tell the whole story however, as on Saturday afternoon with England 98 for six, some Pakistan supporters may have been sensing an unlikely victory.

However, the Pakistan batting is in such a parlous state that even chasing a target of 120 would have probably been beyond them. To say the batters let down the star pace trio of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul would be a massive understatement.

The PCB have now pressed the panic button and sent for the cavalry in the shape of the supposedly 'retired' Mohammad Yousuf. That the Pakistan batting needs more quality and experience is a given, but bringing back Yousuf who has not played first class cricket since March seems strange when Younis Khan is also available and has recently played county cricket for Surrey.

The treatment of Danish Kaneira is even worse. Yes, he had an appalling match at Trent Bridge, but he did reasonably well against Australia and to send a man with 261 wickets back to county cricket rather than working with him in the nets seems very peculiar.  

Salman Butt certainly has a lot on his hands, not least the interesting prospect of brokering some sort of peace deal between Yousuf and Shoaib Malik, who have been at daggers drawn for some time. According to Cricinfo, Butt and team coach Waqar Younis were not even consulted about Yousuf's inclusion so the next few weeks could provoke yet more turmoil in the mad world of Pakistan cricket.

Here are the marks out of ten for the XI who played at Trent Bridge:

Imran Farhat - 6 Of the Pakistan top five, Farhat was the best of a bad bunch as at least he fought and stuck around for a while in both innings. The ball from Anderson that bowled him in the first innings was an absolute cracker that better batsmen than Farhat would have struggled to keep out.

Salman Butt - 4 Two single figure scores from the captain, with his dismissal in the second innings being particularly disappointing. Only two matches into his captaincy, Butt now has the interesting prospect of reintegrating the precious Yousuf back into the fold.

Azhar Ali - 4 Foolishly didn't refer his dismissal in the first innings, where he was caught after the ball clipped his pocket and then made a duck in the second innings. Should be retained however, as Azhar looked pretty good against the Aussies.

Umar Amin - 3 Likely to be the fall guy who has to make way for Yousuf, and to tell the truth looks a bit out of his depth at this level. The folly of playing two inexperienced players at three and four cost Pakistan dearly here.

Umar Akmal - 3 Poor dismissals in both innings having only scored four runs each time. The good impression he made in New Zealand and Australia over the winter is fading fast. Is it a lack of confidence or over-confidence?

Shoaib Malik - 6 Looked the most assured of all the Pakistan batsmen in the first innings other than Gul and also took a couple of wickets with his offbreaks. We wonder how much Malik is looking forward to his reunion with Yousuf? Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that particular meeting.

Kamran Akmal - 1 The wicketkeeper was going to have to go some to beat his Sydney flop, but he may just have managed it here. Stood too far back, so missed getting Morgan early during his hundred, dropped a straightforward chance to reprieve Strauss and then there was the astonishing missed stumping of Collingwood. To cap a thoroughly miserable match, Akmal then bagged a pair. Gets a point for his stunning catch to dismiss Pietersen in the second innings, although even that was a bit fortunate given that it stuck in his webbing.

Mohammad Aamer - 8 Showed more application with the bat than any of his supposed specialist batting colleagues, and bowled with heart, fire and skill throughout the game. A real talent.

Umar Gul - 8 Bowled like a drain in the first innings, but his brilliant 65 not out saved Pakistan from the follow-on. This seemed to inspire him and his bowling rhythm returned in the second innings with three deserved wickets.

Danish Kaneira - 2 A game to forget for Kaneria with 1 wicket for 171 from only 33 overs, but does he deserve to be sent back to Essex? A man with 261 test wickets deserves better.

Mohammad Asif - 8 Bowled beautifully on the second morning to inspire an England collapse and then reached his century of test wickets in only his 20th test to equal Waqar's Pakistan record. Rated the second best bowler in the world, and looked every inch of it. Like Aamer and Gul, deserves to be playing in a side with a stronger batting line-up.

Mohammad Yousuf's pantomime 'retirement'

It shouldn't come as any surprise, but it would seem that Mohammad Yousuf's "retirement" from international cricket may not be as final as most people would assume the term retirement means.

As one of Pakistan's Four Captains of the Apocalypse, Yousuf retired from international cricket following the draconian sanction handed out to him by the PCB after the disastrous tour of Australia where Yousuf was captain.

But now just like a toddler that has thrown his toys out of the pram in a paddy, Yousuf is now hinting at a recantation of his retirement  in the wake of Shahid Afridi's one match tenure and the subsequent appointment of Salman Butt as the new test captain.

Speaking at the weekend, Yousuf said:

"I am available any time for my national team. "f the team doesn't need me I stand retired. But if I'm needed, I am ready and available to serve my country. If PCB invites me with respect I will definitely go and join the team."

It is the last sentence that is the most telling. Yousuf seems to be saying that if PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt gets down on bended knee and pleads for the great one to return, Yousuf will deign himself to comply. How old is he?

Just like an extremely bad pantomime, Yousuf's "oh yes, he has", "oh no, he hasn't" retirement is descending ever more into farce. His qualities as a batsman may be desperately needed by his country, but his qualities as a man seem to leave a little bit to be desired. Yousuf is certainly playing the Ugly Sister role to perfection.

If Yousuf does come back, then Salman Butt is going to have an interesting time captaining a dressing room that includes sworn enemies Yousuf and Shoaib Malik.  

Shahid Afridi & the four captains of the apocalypse

This post was going to be about Australia and their readiness or otherwise for the Ashes. But the antics of Shahid Afridi means that this will have to wait.

Ricky Ponting must feel like the birthday girl, whose big day has been upstaged by the classroom joker setting off a stink bomb at her party. Even by the comical nature of Pakistan cricket, Afridi's retirement from test cricket and resignation after his first test as captain after a four year break from the five day game is quite astounding.

With endearing honesty, Afridi admitted that he didn't have the patience or mentality for test cricket and that the second match against Australia at Headingley will be his last test (if he is fit). He couldn't have put it more bluntly by stating that "With my temperament I can't play Test cricket," going on to admit that "a captain should lead by example which I did not. And if I played the way I played in this match it is better to leave." 

The many observers who predicted that an Afridi captaincy would end quickly and ignominiously have been proved right. This is a shame as there were signs in the World T20, Asia Cup and the Twenty 20's against Australia last week that Afridi could prove to be the unifying captain that Pakistan so desperately needed.

Afridi's dismissals in both innings were irresponsible but his Pakistan side did not descend into the rabble that they had in Australia. The first innings collapse was poor as was the body language when Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger added 52 for the last wicket in Australia's 2nd innings. And handing 14 wickets to Shane Watson, Marcus North and Steven Smith smacked of carelessness. But given the hand dealt by the selectors in ignoring Younis Khan, Pakistan actually performed reasonably well at Lord's.

The Pakistan captaincy is becoming a poisoned chalice and Salman Butt may want to think twice if he is offered the captain's job for the test series against England. Since Inzamam retired in 2007, Pakistan has now had four test captains. Shoaib Malik lasted three tests, married someone he spoke to on the phone and has allegedly been a disruptive influence in the dressing room ever since. Younis Khan was next. He led the side to victory in the World T20 in 2009 before amidst more plots and conspiracies than a John Le Carre novel asked to be rested from the New Zealand tour last Autumn. 

Then Mohammad Yousuf had a go at the top job he had craved for so long, but was blamed for the disastrous tour to Australia by the PCB and banned indefinitely. Yousuf then announced his retirement and despite pleas from Afridi and even Chairman Butt himself, has shown no signs of reversing this decision.

Where does Pakistan cricket go from here amidst the aftermath of the four captains of the apocalypse?

Four captains in just over two years may sound a lot, but England once went through four captains in a series and five in less than a year. In 1988, Mike Gatting started the series with the West Indies as captain before an alleged misdemeanour with a barmaid led to him being sacked after the first test. John Emburey took over for the next two, both of which were lost. Then the selectors took leave of their senses completely and summoned Chris Cowdrey from county cricket and made him captain. He lasted one match before Graham Gooch was handed the 'honour' for the final test of the series.

Amazingly, new Chairman of the Selectors Ted Dexter decided four captains wasn't enough  and relieved Graham Gooch of the role and gave it to David Gower for the 1989 Ashes series making it five captains in less than a year. Even Pakistan has never had anything like this.

Finally, Afridi can count himself lucky in some respects. Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days following the death of Edward VI before she was overthrown by Mary and executed at the Tower of London. Although with Chairman Butt(head) anything is possible...  

Pakistan's replacements for Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf

We scoured the internet to find a picture of Azhar Ali and Umar Amin - effectively the two replacements for Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf at numbers three and four in the Pakistan batting order playing against Australia at Lord's.

This was the only picture we could come up with.

I suppose it is hardly surprising then that both debutants looked a little bit out of their comfort zone against world class bowlers on a seam friendly track. As Alan Hansen once said "you won't win anything with kids".

Only Pakistan could ban their best batsman (Younis) indefinitely, then lift the ban and not pick him for the touring squad. But to then compound the situation and suspend Shoaib Mailk, rescind his ban and pick him for the squad, but then not select him for the XI is an interesting decision to say the least. We wonder where Yousuf stands on his 'retirement' now if he is watching the action? 
 

Ijaz Butt gets down on one knee to Mohammad Yousuf

We're not sure quite what to make about the penalties issued and now rescinded on several of its players by the PCB.

It seemed at the time that the sanctions were applied that Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf had been dealt with rather severely. Admittedly, both appeared to be crap captains for different reasons. Pakistan actually won the World T20 under Younis' stewardship but eight of his players apparently made a secret pact against him (we're not sure why, maybe they didn't like being told what to do?), so he didn't exactly inspire loyalty. Although we wonder whether it should been Younis that was damned rather then the players who brazenly admitted underperforming in order to undermine his captaincy.

Yousuf could well be the worst international cricket captain we've seen. More defensive than the Greek football team when winning the European Championship in 2004, he was to blame as much as butter fingered Kamran Akmal for Pakistan throwing away the Sydney test against Australia. And as for his childish spat with Shoaib Malik? Well, our eighteen month old son hasn't had tantrums quite like that. Yet!

But life bans did seem harsh for essentially being crap captains. So it is no real surprise that Younis' ban has now been lifted on appeal and he is free to play in the Asia Cup and tour England this summer. Along with Yousuf, Younis is Pakistan's best batsman and they desperately need him to provide some solidity from his usual number three role. If Shahid Afridi's fine for biting the ball can be removed (and we're not quite sure how that crime can be rescinded), then clearly Younis should never have been banned in the first place.

Yousuf on the other hand has stuck steadfastly to his decision to 'retire' soon after his life ban was handed down. At the time, PCB nutter-in-chief Ijaz Butt said that "Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team should not be part of national team in any format." 

Butt now seems to have done a huge about-turn, maybe mindful of Yousuf's record on Pakistan's last tour of England where he scored nearly twice as many runs in four Tests (631) as the second-leading run-scorer, with three hundreds at an average of 90.14. Butt said of Yousuf that "We have sent messages to him through others that if he takes back his retirement he can play for Pakistan again. But he declined that." He went on to add that "If he takes back his retirement he will be welcomed back into the side. He is a great player and has a few more years in him. He has done so well for us and particularly on the last tour of England he was outstanding, so he would definitely be welcomed back."

It's not quite getting down on one knee begging for forgiveness, but it isn't far off. Yousuf has always struck us as someone with a bit of an ego who maybe has a touch too much self-importance than he should. Some of the comments attributed to him certainly reflect that assertion. He now has new captain Afridi, Butt and several senior players all publicly pleading for him to return. Yousuf's commitment to his "retirement" is certainly being sorely tested.

We doubt many bookies are giving good odds against him returning to the fold in time for the tour to England. We certainly expect to see him there. Pakistan cricket just gets crazier and crazier and with Afridi potentially having to captain a squad that includes Younis, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar and now maybe Yousuf too, it could get even more crazy.

Is this the face of Shoaib Malik's first wife?

I saw on the BBC News site that Shoaib Malik has married Indian tennis star Sania Mirza in Hyderabad today.

A wedding is always a good new story and the fact that this involves a Pakistani cricketer marrying an Indian tennis star will hopefully help bring the populations of those two countries a little bit closer.

But the report did contain one mildly amusing element. Apparently, Shoaib had been married before to a woman he met over the internet, and as permitted by Islamic law, had married her over the telephone. 

And this is where the fun begins, because the report states that Malik's first wife had sent him photographs, which were of someone else, and that was the reason why the marriage was illegal.

Given Shoaib's ongoing spat with a certain ex-colleague, I wonder if said wife looked a little bit like this?

 

Ijaz Butt 0 Mohammad Yousuf 1

Those of you that read this blog regularly will know that I have complete contempt for Ijaz Butt, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. His continual interference and undermining of the team, coach and selection committee has made a difficult time in Pakistan cricket all the worse.

Butt reached a new low when on receiving a report outlining the reasons for the teams poor performance in Australia, he decided that effectively sacking his two best batsmen and sanctioning several other players would deal with the problem. Player infighting and poor performance was part of the problem, but certainly not the major element, which surely sits squarely on the shoulders of Chairman Butthead himself.

And now his actions have led to Pakistan's best batsmen Mohammad Yousuf announcing his retirement. Giving his reasons, a seething Yousuf didn't hide the reasons for his decision saying that "I received a letter from the PCB that my staying in the team is harmful for the team, so I announce my retirement from international cricket," he said in Karachi. "I thank the fans around the world, all the senior players and family members for supporting me throughout my 12-year career. I always played for my country and if my playing is harmful for the team then I don't want to play."

What a sad way for one of Pakistan's greatest ever players to go (he certainly makes my Pakistan XI of the last 30 years). It is to be hoped that this is a tactical move by Yousuf as part of a grander strategy to rid Pakistan cricket of Butt. Only then, or so it seems, can Pakistan hope to regain fomer glories.

If it is to be the last we see of Yousuf then cricket has lost one of its best current batsmen, if not one of its best captains.

 

Is this the best Pakistan test XI of the last 30 years?

You can say a lot about Pakistan cricket team, but you could never accuse it of being boring. In over 30 years of watching and absorbing cricket in almost every orifice, Pakistan have has always been the most fascinating team to watch - on and off the field. Sadly, Pakistan cricket is in the mire at the moment. Security concerns mean that the team cannot play at home and to say that their antics in recent times are tantamount to a travelling circus would be an understatement.

The problems start at the top and the PCB is rotten to the core with Chairman Ijaz Butt more akin to a dictator of a military state rather than the leader of a humble cricket board. He undermines his selection committee, team management and captain at every turn and how he is still in the job is beyond belief. His reaction in ostracising the team's two best batsmen Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan following the Australian tour debacle is the sort of madness normally associated with despots like Kim Jong Il.

Then there are the politicians. Every time Pakistan lose a match accusations of match fixing abound as the next senator gets his 15 minutes in the sun. Heaven forbid that Pakistan lose because they have performed badly or have just come up against a better team. No it must be because some or all of the players have thrown the match. What nonsense.

Other ills include inconsistent selection, poor leadership by a succession of captains and player infighting that makes the spat between Henry II and Thomas a Becket look trivial in comparison. Not being Pakistani myself, I cannot fully understand all the problems surrounding the team, but as a fascinated onlooker I can see that there is an inherent sickness that needs curing.  

It was all very different in the days of Imran Khan's leadership when he used the constant state of chaos surrounding the team to bring them together as a group of 'cornered tigers' with the the rest of the World against them. The results were sensational as they vied with the West Indies for the title of the World's best side in the late 1980s and then won the World Cup in 1992.

During my 30 years of watching cricket, Pakistan have been renowned for its battery of quick bowlers, its wily spinners and a series of wristy batsmen. But how many of the current side would make my composite XI of the last 30 years? Only one sadly and he is supposedly just about to retire.

The openers is a case of Saeed Anwar plus one other. Anwar's combination of graceful strokeplay and quick scoring has been solely missed since his premature retirement with Pakistan still searching for someone of Anwar's reliability and quality to open the batting. Mudassar Nazar takes the second opening slot for me ahead of Aamer Sohail, Majid Khan and Ramiz Raja, with his obdurateness being an excellent foil for the flamboyant Anwar.

Pakistan has been spoilt with quality middle order batsmen over the last 30 years and with Mudassar able to double up as the fifth bowler, I have given myself the luxury of picking six batsmen. Zaheer Abbas was known by some as the Asian Bradman, such was his thirst for runs and his style and elegance gets him in at number three ahead of Younis Khan. The combative Javed Miandad is Pakistan's highest test runscorer and in most observers opinion its greatest batsman so is a shoo-in at number four. Only three runs behind Miandad is Inzamam-ul-Haq and he gets the number five spot. When Inzy was in full flow he never looked like getting out, unless it was by a run out of course! The soon-to-be-retired (if you believe the reports) Mohammad Yousuf gets the number six spot ahead of Saleem Malik. In time people will remember Yousuf for his great batting rather than his impotent captaincy and for a time in the mid-2000's he was arguably the best batsman in the World.

The imperious Imran Khan is at number seven and naturally would be captain. He was the greatest of the four magnificent all-rounders of the 1980s just shading Kapil, Botham and Hadlee and is arguably one of the three best all-rounders ever along with Sobers and Miller. If only Imran was more involved with Pakistan cricket today, perhaps it wouldn't be in such a mess.

The wicketkeeper spot is a toss up between the superior glove work of a Wasim Bari or Rashid Latif, or the additional runs of a Moin Khan or Kamran Akmal. Thankfully, with Imran before him and Wasim Akram to come, the best keeper of the four can be selected and given that he was favourably compared with Allan Knott, Wasim Bari really was a fantastic keeper.

Then comes the aforementioned Wasim Akram, surely the best left arm quick of all time and a decent if slightly underachieving batsman to boot with a test best of 257. With complete mastery over swing and seam, ability to move the ball both ways and serious pace, Wasim was a fearsome sight especially in partnership with the equally devastating Waqar Younis. As an England fan, the performances of Wasim and Waqar on the 1992 tour was both frightening and wonderful depending on how strong my allegiance to the home side was at the time.

It's no surprise then that Waqar Younis comes next. The king of reverse and late swing, Waqar bowled so many batsmen with the late swinging yorker that the name of the delivery arguably should be changed to a 'Younis'. Sheer speed, an effortless technique and a strike rate up there with the best in history, Waqar was a seriously great bowler.

As referred to earlier Pakistan has produced a battery of fast bowlers in the last 30 years. Of these Safraz Nawaz, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir deserve a mention. Safraz was entering the sunset of his career when my cricket watching began but was one of the pioneers of reverse swing. Amir would have played more tests than he has but for discipline and drug problems, but it seems he is back to his best now. And what can you say about speedster Shoaib? Suffice to say that he is a larger than life figure, who doubtless a bollywood film will be made about one day. When he concentrates on his bowling though he bears comparison with Wasim, Imran and Waqar and would be my 12th man.

Quality spin has gone hand in hand with extreme pace, and there is an abundance of choice for the spinning position in the XI. But who to pick out of Abdul Qadir, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Danish Kaneira or Iqbal Qasim? This is where my childhood comes in and it is the mercurial Qadir who wins the day for me. Without him there may have been no Shane Warne and in a time of pace and seam, it was Qadir who flew the flag for leg spin. If I had to plump for a reserve, it would have to be Mushtaq Ahmed - well, I am a Sussex supporter! 

So my team is as follows in bold with Shoaib and Mushtaq added to make a XIII to cover all conditions. If a fifth bowler was required then it would be Yousuf who would drop out for Shoaib or Mushtaq.

Saeed Anwar, Mudassar Nazar, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Khan, Wasim Bari, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdul Qadir, Shoaib Akhtar and Mushtaq Ahmed